[Swedish women have developed more risky and more harmful alcohol drinking habits. A survey of alcohol drinking changes among Swedes between 1997-2001]

Abstract

A random sample of 1,250 persons from the general Swedish population responded to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, AUDIT. The results (72.5% response rate) were compared to the results from an identical survey made 1997 (79.8% response rate). The factor structure and the internal reliability showed good correspondence with those of 1997, indicating a stable and satisfactory psychometric quality of the Swedish AUDIT version. The female prevalence of hazardous or harmful alcohol use had increased from 11 to 15 percent between 1997 and 2001. Thus, women, particularly 28-38 years old, reported drinking more often and in greater amounts. Furthermore, the prevalence of female teetotallers had decreased from 18 to 13 percent. The corresponding trends among men were not significant but might have been underestimated due to a greater dropout, particularly among young men in the year of 2001.